Updated July 6, 2026 · 8 min read
The short answer
A bathroom remodel involves two separate warranties: a workmanship warranty from your contractor covering installation and labor, and manufacturer warranties on the materials and fixtures themselves. Manufacturer warranties — even "lifetime" ones from brands like Delta and Kohler — typically exclude labor and aren't transferable, which is exactly why the workmanship warranty's term and coverage matter most.
Key takeaways
- A workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty cover different failures — one covers how something was installed, the other covers a defect in the product itself.
- Delta's own warranty terms state plainly that "any labor charges incurred by the purchaser to repair, replace, install or remove this product are not covered" — proof that a manufacturer warranty alone leaves a real gap.
- Manufacturer warranties are also typically non-transferable: Delta's is explicitly "not transferable," and Schluter's lifetime coverage applies only while the original end user owns the home.
- Boise Bath backs every project with a written 3-year workmanship warranty covering installation quality, the waterproofing and tile/stone systems installed, and fixtures, glass, and hardware installed per manufacturer terms.
- A good warranty conversation covers both halves: what your contractor's written workmanship term actually says, and what the manufacturer warranty on your specific materials does and does not include.
A remodel carries two warranties, not one
Our guides on what to look for in a remodel contract and questions to ask a contractor both mention warranty as one item on a longer checklist — a contract clause in one, a single vetting question in the other. This guide goes deeper on warranty specifically, because "what's the warranty?" is really two separate questions that get answered by two separate documents: a workmanship warranty from whoever installs your bathroom, and a manufacturer warranty on the tile, fixtures, and glass themselves.
Confusing the two is an easy, expensive mistake. A homeowner who assumes a fixture's "lifetime warranty" also covers the labor to fix it — after a change to their contractor's warranty term has already expired — can end up with no coverage from either side.
The one-line version
Manufacturer warranties cover the product. Workmanship warranties cover the installation. A remodel needs both to actually be covered, and they almost never come from the same document.
What a manufacturer warranty actually covers — and skips
Manufacturer warranties on bathroom fixtures are often marketed as "lifetime," and that's frequently true for the part itself. Delta's own warranty terms promise its faucet finishes and non-electronic parts are covered for "as long as the original consumer purchaser owns the home in which the faucet was first installed," with electronic parts covered for five years. Kohler's faucet warranty is similarly a "Lifetime Limited Warranty." Schluter's KERDI waterproofing membrane — the kind that sits behind your shower tile — carries a 10-year limited warranty on its own, extending to a lifetime warranty when installed as part of Schluter's full thin-set system.
But "lifetime" only describes the part. Delta's terms are explicit about labor: "Any labor charges incurred by the purchaser to repair, replace, install or remove this product are not covered." In other words, if a faucet fails and it's covered, the manufacturer will send you a replacement part — not a plumber to install it, and not compensation for the tile that has to come off the wall to reach it.
| Manufacturer | Typical term | Covers labor? | Transferable to a new owner? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta (faucets) | Lifetime for original purchaser; 5 yrs on electronics | No — explicitly excluded | No — "not transferable" |
| Kohler (faucets) | Lifetime Limited Warranty | Not specified as covered | Not addressed in the base terms |
| Schluter KERDI (waterproofing) | 10 years, or lifetime as part of a full thin-set system | No — covers the material | No, unless authorized in writing |
Sources: Delta Faucet, Kohler, and Schluter Systems published warranty terms. Always confirm current terms directly with the manufacturer for your specific product.
Why the workmanship warranty is what actually protects you
Since manufacturer warranties consistently exclude labor and installation, the workmanship warranty from your contractor is what covers the failure that actually shows up most often after a remodel: a leak traced to how something was installed, not a defect in the material itself. A shower valve installed slightly out of level, a waterproofing membrane with a missed seam, tile that was set without the movement joints it needed — none of that is a manufacturer's problem to fix, because the product itself wasn't defective. It's a workmanship problem, and only a workmanship warranty covers it.
That distinction is exactly why a specific, written workmanship term matters more than a fixture's marketing copy. A lifetime warranty on a faucet you'll never need to invoke is far less useful than three solid years of coverage on the installation work most likely to actually need a callback.
What Boise Bath's workmanship warranty covers
Every Boise Bath project is backed by a written 3-year workmanship warranty. Per our own warranty page, it covers the quality of installation and craftsmanship, the waterproofing and tile/stone systems we install, and the fixtures, glass, and hardware we install — per each manufacturer's own terms for the product itself. On top of that workmanship coverage, the materials and fixtures installed carry their own manufacturer warranties, following each manufacturer's published terms rather than a number we set.
Full warranty terms are provided in the project agreement, which is exactly the kind of document worth reading closely rather than taking on trust — a point that applies to any contractor's warranty, not just ours.
Questions worth asking about any warranty
Whoever you hire, a few direct questions surface whether the warranty is real or just a talking point. Is the workmanship warranty in writing, with a specific term length — not a verbal "we stand behind our work"? What exactly does "workmanship" cover, and what's explicitly excluded? If a manufacturer denies a warranty claim on a fixture, does the contractor help you navigate that, or does it become entirely your problem? And if you sell the home, does the workmanship warranty transfer to the new owner, or does it end with your ownership the way Delta's and Schluter's manufacturer terms do?
None of these questions require the warranty to be perfect — they just require it to be specific. A contractor who can answer all four clearly, in writing, is treating the warranty as a real commitment rather than a sales line.
The bottom line
A bathroom remodel's warranty coverage comes from two separate places, and both matter: a manufacturer warranty on the materials themselves, which typically excludes labor and doesn't transfer to a new owner, and a workmanship warranty from your contractor, which is what actually covers an installation-related failure. Ask for both in writing, with specific terms, before you sign anything.
See our full warranty coverage for exactly what Boise Bath's 3-year workmanship warranty includes, or get a free estimate and we'll walk through both halves of the coverage before any work begins.
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Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between a workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty?
- A manufacturer warranty covers defects in the product itself — a faucet, a tile, a waterproofing membrane — and is set by the company that made it. A workmanship warranty covers how that product was installed, and comes from your contractor. A remodel needs both to be fully covered, since a manufacturer warranty typically excludes labor entirely.
- Do manufacturer warranties cover labor if a fixture fails?
- Almost never. Delta's own warranty terms state directly that "any labor charges incurred by the purchaser to repair, replace, install or remove this product are not covered." A manufacturer warranty typically replaces the defective part; it does not pay for the plumber, tile removal, or reinstallation labor around it.
- What does Boise Bath's warranty cover?
- Boise Bath backs every project with a written 3-year workmanship warranty covering the quality of installation and craftsmanship, the waterproofing and tile/stone systems we install, and the fixtures, glass, and hardware we install per manufacturer terms. Materials and fixtures also carry their own manufacturer warranties on top of that, following each manufacturer's published terms. Full details are in our project agreement and on our warranty page.
Sources
- Delta Faucet — Warranty (manufacturer)
- Kohler — Faucet Lifetime Limited Warranty (manufacturer)
- Schluter Systems — Warranty Program Summary (manufacturer)
Claims and figures are drawn from the sources above and provided for general guidance; your project may vary. Photography is illustrative of design concepts. For a fixed price on your specific bathroom, request a free estimate.
